Representative sampling device

ABSTRACT

A hopper into which loosened pieces of the paper collection are fed. A conveyor for transporting the loosened pieces of paper to a higher elevation. A fan for generating a stream of air to blow through the pieces of paper as they leave the conveyor at the higher elevation. A chamber into which the pieces of paper are gently floated by the stream of air generated by the fan. A vertical tube through which the pieces of paper can flutter downwardly due to the force of gravity. A divider separating the bottom of the vertical tube into a number of parts so that the pieces of paper which flutter down the tube can be separated into desired proportions.

The present invention relates to an apparatus for separating out arepresentative sample from a collection of various sizes, shapes andweights of pieces of paper and/or cardboard. More particularly, itpertains to an apparatus for selecting such a representative sample fromwhich statistical data concerning the entire make-up of such collectioncan be derived.

One object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus forseparating out a fraction from a collection of various sizes, shapes andweights of pieces of paper and/or cardboard (e.g., coupons) from whichstatistical data concerning the entire make-up of such collection ofpapers can be derived.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from thefollowing description in which certain preferred embodiments of theinvention are disclosed.

In the drawings which form a part of this application,

FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating one form of the presentinvention, and

FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating another form of the presentinvention, and

FIG. 3 is a perspective view illustrating a further form of the presentinvention.

Referring now to FIG. 1, one embodiment of a representative samplingapparatus of the present invention comprises a hopper 10 positionedabove one end of a belt conveyor 12. The other end of the belt conveyor12 is located adjacent a screen 14.

A fan 16 is positioned directly below the screen 14 so that the streamof air generated by the fan 16 blows through the screen 14.

A chamber 18 is positioned above and off to the side of the screen 14.The chamber 18 has a vented cover 19. A vertical tube 20 is attached tothe lower portion of the chamber 18. The lower portion of the tube 20 isprovided with a divider 22. The divider 22 separates the bottom of thetube 20 into two equal parts 24 and 26. The bottom of the parts 24 and26 are provided with movable hinged doors 28 and 30, respectively. Thedoors 28 and 30 are shown by the solid lines in their closed positionsand dotted lines indicated by numerals 28a and 30a in their openpositions.

Referring now to FIG. 2, there is shown an alternate form of the presentinvention. In this alternate form the hopper 10, the conveyor 12, thescreen 14 and the fan 16 are replaced with a hopper 32, a chute 34, amotor driven fan 36, and a forced air chute 38.

A chamber 40 is positioned above the air chute 38. The chamber 40 has avented cover 41. A vertical tube 42 is attached to the lower portion ofthe chamber 40. The lower portion of the tube 42 is provided with adivider 44.

The divider 44 separates the bottom of the tube 42 into two equal parts46 and 48. The bottom of the parts 46 and 48 are provided with movablehinged doors 50 and 52, respectively. The doors 50 and 52 are shown intheir closed positions and the dotted lines indicated by numerals 50aand 52a show their respective open positions. In this alternate form ofFIG. 2 a sufficient force of air is generated by the fan 36 to elevatethe collection of paper vertically to the chamber 40 when fed in throughthe hopper 32 and down the chute 34. The cover 41 of the chamber 40 isvented to release the force of air which permits the collection of paperto slide down the sides of the chamber 40 to the vertical tube 42 wherethe pieces flutter downwardly due to the force of gravity.

Referring now to FIG. 3, there is shown another alternate form of thepresent invention. In this alternate form the hopper 10 and conveyor 12of FIG. 1 are replaced with a hopper 54, a rotating drum 56 having rodprotrusions on the interior thereof and an inclined slide 58. The drumis mounted on rollers such as 60 and rotated by a motor 62 as is wellknown in the art. One end of the slide 58 is located adjacent the outlet64 of the drum 56 and the other end of the slide 58 is located adjacenta screen 66.

A fan 68 is positioned directly below the screen 66 so that the streamof air generated by the fan 68 blows through the screen 66.

A chamber 70 is positioned above and off to the side of the screen 66.The chamber 70 has a vented cover 72. A vertical tube 74 is attached tothe lower portion of the chamber 72. The lower portion of the tube 74 isprovided with a divider 76. The divider 76 separates the bottom of thetube 74 into two equal parts 78 and 80. The bottom of the parts 78 and80 are provided with movable hinged doors 82 and 84, respectively. Thedoors 82 and 84 are shown in their closed positions and the dotted linesindicated by numerals 82a and 84a show their respective open positions.

The tubes 20, 42, and 74 can be constructed of 1/4 inch screen enclosedwith polyethylene to prevent outside air currents from influencing thefall of the pieces of paper as they flutter downwardly. The tubes couldalso be constructed of sheet metal. In the apparatus built like thatshown in FIG. 1 the tube was fourteen feet high and thirty inches indiameter. The dividers 22, 44 and 76 can be made to separate the bottomof the tubes 20, 42 and 74, respectively, into more than two equalparts.

In the operation of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1, the collection ofpieces of paper are freed from any devices that may hold one piece toanother, such as paper clips, rubber binders, adhesive tape, etc. andshaken into the hopper 10. As these pieces of paper fall out of thehopper onto the conveyor 12 they are moved upwardly by the conveyor 12in the direction of the arrow 86 where at the upper part of the conveyor12 they are deposited on the screen 14.

The fan 16 generates a stream of air which blows in the direction ofarrow 88. The stream of air from the fan 16 separates the pieces ofpaper which might be held together by static electricity and gentlytosses the pieces of paper into the chamber 18. This chamber is ventedat the top to allow the air generated by the fan 16 to escape upwardly.

After leaving the stream of air generated by the fan 16, the pieces ofpaper which have been gently tossed into the chamber 18, gently flutterdownwardly through the tube 20 due to the force of gravity. At the baseof the tube 20 the pieces of paper which flutter down the tube 20 areseparated into two equal fractions by the divider 22.

In the operation of the apparatus shown in FIG. 2, the collection ofpieces of paper are freed from any device that may hold one piece toanother, such as paper clips, rubber binders, adhesive tape, etc., andshaken into the hopper 32. As these pieces of paper fall out of thehopper 32 into the chute 34 they are moved upwardly through the forcedair chute 38 in the direction of the arrow 90 by the air stream producedby the fan 36. As these pieces of paper leave the forced air chute 38 inthe direction of the arrow 91 they are gently tossed into the chamber40. The stream of air from the fan 36 separates the pieces of paperwhich may be held together by static electricity. The chamber 40 isvented at the top to allow the air entering therefrom from the fan 36 toescape upwardly.

After leaving the stream of air generated by the fan 36, the pieces ofpaper gently flutter downwardly through the tube 42 due to the force ofgravity. At the base of the tube 42 the pieces of paper which flutterdown the tube 42 are separated into two equal fractions by the divider44.

In the operation of the apparatus shown in FIG. 3, the collection ofpieces of paper are freed from any devices that may hold one piece toanother, such as paper clips, rubber binders, adhesive tape, etc. andshaken into the hopper 54. As these pieces of paper fall out of thehopper 54 into the rotating drum 56 they are moved through the drum 56in the direction of arrow 92 by the rod protrusions on the interiorthereof and the fact that the drum is slightly inclined and rotates.These loosened pieces of paper pour out of the drum opening 64 onto theinclined slide 58. At the end of the slide 58 the pieces of paper aredeposited on the screen 66. The fan 68 generates a stream of air whichblows in the direction of arrow 94. The stream of air from the fan 68separates the pieces of paper which might be held together by staticelectricity and gently tosses the pieces of paper into the chamber 70.This chamber is vented at the top to allow the air generated by the fan68 to escape upwardly.

After leaving the stream of air generated by the fan 68, the pieces ofpaper gently flutter downwardly through the tube 74 due to the force ofgravity. At the base of the tube 74 the pieces of paper which flutterdown the tube 74 are separated into two equal fractions by the divider76.

The primary function of the hopper 10 and the conveyor 12 of FIG. 1, thehopper 32, the slide 34, the fan 36 and the chute 38 of FIG. 2, and thehopper 54, the rotating drum 56 and the inclined slide 58 of FIG. 3 isto convey the pieces of paper in an even flow into the chambers 18, 40and 74, respectively.

Some alternatives for the hopper 10 and the conveyor 12 of FIG. 1, thehopper 32, the slide 34, the fan 36 and the chute 38 of FIG. 2, and thehopper 54, the rotating drum 56 and inclined slide 58 of FIG. 3 are (1)a conveyor which could empty the pieces of paper into a flailer beforethe pieces of paper go into a chamber like 18, and (2) a rotating drumhaving an internal screw conveyor to move the pieces of paper from theend at which they are dumped into the drum to the end where they fallout either on a screen like 14 or directly into a chamber like 18.

In view of the principles set forth herein, I have shown some of theways of carrying out the present invention and some of the equivalentswhich are suggested by these disclosures.

Now, therefore, I claim:
 1. An apparatus for separating out arepresentative sample from a collection of various pieces of papercomprising a chamber having an upper and a lower portion, means forconveying the pieces of paper in an even flow into said chamber, meansfor generating a stream of air to blow through and gently toss thepieces of paper as they enter into said chamber, an elongated tube meansadjacent the lower portion of said chamber through which the pieces ofpaper can free fall due to gravity after said pieces leave the saidchamber, the sides of said tube being free of substantial inwardconvergence from its end adjacent the lower portion of said chamber tothe lower portion of said tube to prevent the sliding of the pieces ofpaper down the sides of said tube which sliding would provide aseparating out of such pieces different in make-up from that provided bythe free fall of said pieces, and means associated with the lowerportion of said elongated tube to divide the pieces of paper intodesired proportions.
 2. An apparatus for separating out a representativesample from a collection of various pieces of paper as called for inclaim 1 wherein the means for conveying the pieces of paper includes abelt conveyor.
 3. An apparatus for separating out a representativesample from a collection of various pieces of paper as called for inclaim 1 wherein the means for conveying the pieces of paper includes abelt conveyor and a hopper adjacent said belt conveyor for directing theflow of the pieces of paper onto said belt conveyor.
 4. An apparatus forseparating out a representative sample from a collection of variouspieces of paper as called for in claim 1 wherein the means forgenerating the stream of air includes a screen over which the pieces ofpaper pass after they enter said chamber and a fan which blows thestream of air through said screen.
 5. An apparatus for separating out arepresentative sample from a collection of various pieces of paper ascalled for in claim 1 wherein the means for conveying the pieces ofpaper includes a forced air chute and the means for generating thestream of air produces a stream of air to blow through said forced airchute.
 6. An apparatus for separating out a representative sample from acollection of various pieces of paper as called for in claim 5 whereinthe means for conveying the pieces of paper includes an inclined chuteconnected to said forced air chute and a hopper associated with saidinclined chute adjacent said inclined chute for directing the flow ofthe pieces of paper into said inclined chute.
 7. An apparatus forseparating out a representative sample from a collection of variouspieces of paper as called for in claim 1 wherein said means forconveying the pieces of paper includes a rotating drum having an inletand an outlet and an inclined slide adjacent the outlet of said drum. 8.An apparatus for separating out a representative sample from acollection of various pieces of paper as called for in claim 7 whereinsaid means for conveying the pieces of paper includes a hopper adjacentthe inlet of said rotating drum for directing the flow of the pieces ofpaper into said drum.
 9. An apparatus for separating out arepresentative sample from a collection of various pieces of paper ascalled for in claim 8 wherein the means for generating the stream of airincludes a screen over which the pieces of paper pass after they leavesaid inclined slide and a fan which blows the stream of air through saidscreen.
 10. An apparatus for separating out a representative sample froma collection of various pieces of paper as called for in claim 1 whereinthe upper portion of said chamber is vented and said elongated tube isconstructed to prevent air current from outside said tube frominfluencing the free fall of the pieces of paper.